Fox had a lot to think about. Apparently she had forgiven him enough to marry him. He still had doubts whether she truly loved him as much as she wanted to, but they weren't as strong as they were moments ago. Fox knew he had forgotten a lot of things. He was always so busy, it wouldn't surprise him if he didn't really forget, but just never noticed. He was always trying to do the right thing, to be the hero, that he most likely had simply missed everything.
Fox's mind soon drifted elsewhere. Without a job, what was he going to do? He was certainly in no condition for any real housework. Maybe unemployment would do him some good. After all, so much happened around him that he likely didn't notice. He didn't want to grow old with only a few memories from his youth to show for it. Sure, there were his war stories, but he needed more. He needed memories of love and fun. He needed to remember being more than just a mere instrument of war. This would be his second chance to really live life instead of just mere survival.
Fox knew what he had to do. He was going to slow down, his wounds would make sure of that, and enjoy life. He was going to truly enjoy life with the vixen of his dreams.
Krystal. The mere thought of her stirred up a few memories, mostly painful. But the past is the past and if she had really forgiven him, he was willing to let go of those memories of betrayal and pain.
What about the team? Falco could probably run it. Falco never really liked Fox's style anyway. Falco loved action. While Fox was more methodical, Falco was more aggressive. He loved speed and firepower. Fox knew that Star Fox could survive under Falco's leadership.
What would Lylat think? Would he be remembered as a hero wounded in the line of duty or as a coward who quit after a brief stint in the hospital? Would he be remembered at all or was he doomed to fade into obscurity like countless others before him?
Should he even care about such things? Sure, being a leader and a hero brought him pride, but so would starting a family with the vixen he loved. And it's not like he would be able to fight if he wanted to. Fox would rather be remembered as a coward than as a has-been who crashed and died before even reaching the battle. They could blame mechanical failure, but why tarnish Slippy's reputation. He's already remembered as the team's worst pilot. Why ruin all he has left?
Fox turned to look into Krystal's eyes as she smiled at him. Why should he worry about things that were out of his control? Why did he loathe civilian life again?
Boredom. Fox remembered the endless, merciless boredom that filled the years between wars. He needed the fear, the blood, and the rush. Without them, his life was empty. Krystal felt his discomfort. She too had to suffer through the endless boredom between wars. But without the possibility of combat, he would adapt. He had to. He would.
And so would she. As long as he stood by her side and suffered with her, she would adapt with him. Together, they were complete and would be able to adapt to whatever torture boredom and monotony could throw at them. Everything would be okay. At least he hoped everything would be okay.
There was still the issue of his memory loss. Over the years, he's made countless promises and enemies. What if he's forgetting something important? Did he give a promise he has yet to keep? Is there someone out there with a score to settle? Why worry? They could always move. Corneria was a big planet with many cities, forests, islands, and mountains. Hiding couldn't be too hard. Sauria would also be a good place to hide. The rough, unmapped terrain would make hiding easier. The cover would be good, the water clean, and the food plentiful.
Funny. Lylat's hero, the fox that feared no enemy, who survived countless battles unscathed, thinking about where to hide. He knew he'd retire eventually, but hiding? He hid from no one. Of course, he had less to lose and didn't depend on Krystal to get anywhere back then.
Why's he have to get cocky? Andross was never able to kill him. Star Wolf was never able to shoot him down. The Sharp Claw, Aparoids, and Anglars all fell to him and his team. And yet a mere criminal was able to force him into an early retirement.
Of course it wasn't entirely his fault. He was always bailing his teammates out. When they were being chased, he'd rescue them. When they were surrounded, he'd crate an opening. Where was his rescue? Where was his opening? When he was in trouble, he was almost always the one who bailed himself out. There were a few times he was bailed out, but his teammates were only responsible for one of those saves and that was Falco, who wasn't even on the team at the time. The other two times, he was saved by Star Wolf.
Fox wanted to cry. His rivals proved to be more valuable allies than his own teammates. Why hadn't he been shot down earlier? He depended on his teammates for his survival. Why was he still alive? He was always bailing them out, yet he could barely count on them to not shoot him down, let alone help him out.
Not that it was their fault. He was their leader. They were his responsibility. If he wanted them to actually work as a team, he had to make them work as a team. He was too lenient. His orders weren't absolute enough. Pigma proved to be a better teammate than Slippy or Falco and Pigma betrayed Fox's father for money. They only reason his team listened to him was the paychecks. He needed to work harder. He shouldn't have tried to be their friends. Look at Star Wolf. Leon and Panther may be criminals, but they listened to Wolf. They followed his orders and were loyal to the end. Fox knew his team was pathetic. He knew that the only reason they survived was because Fox was there to bail them out.
But he couldn't bail them out anymore. What would happen to them now? How would they survive? Why should he care? Fox now hated Falco and Slippy. Fox didn't hate Krystal though. She may have sucked at flying, but she was loyal to him. She stood by him and only left because he forced her to. Screw Slippy's reputation. Fox wasn't going to retire because of Slippy's reputation. He was going to stay grounded because of Krystal. He was going to start a new life with her and that was all that mattered to him.